


Grave

by NeoVenus22



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen, Leap For Prompts Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-03
Updated: 2010-02-03
Packaged: 2017-10-07 00:28:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeoVenus22/pseuds/NeoVenus22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>"We have company," said Ronon, and pointed at Ava Dixon watching them.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Grave

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers: 4x15, 'Outcast'

John was more surprised to see her at the funeral than he had been to see her at the wake. There, at least, she'd been able to blend into the crowd, a sea of unrecognizable faces that had accumulated since John had left four years ago. She didn't stick out at the funeral, either, drew no attention to herself, just clung to the back of the assembled.

People glared at him for most of the ceremony. They hadn't allowed him to be a pallbearer (just as well, he'd done far too much of that lately anyway), and he couldn't muster the energy to sit near the family that no doubt thought he'd only come for the money. He sat at the end of a row, in the shade, next to Ronon. He'd felt someone's gaze on the back of his neck, but assumed it was another disapproving family member until Ronon's elbow dug into his side. "We have company," he said, and pointed at Ava Dixon watching them. "You want me to deal with it?"

John thought, not for the first time, that maybe he shouldn't have come. "No, I'll handle it." He got out of his seat before Ronon could protest, moving quickly and pulling the nanotechnologist behind a tree.

"What are you doing here?"

Dixon blinked up at him with big eyes. "Don't get up on my account."

"Hell, they'll probably be thrilled I'm gone. Why are you even here?"

She shrugged. He was struck oddly by how small she was, how young. "I'm not really sure. I'm worried about you."

John snorted before he could stop himself. "You're worried about me? There's a Replicator running loose on Earth, you're facing a possible prison sentence, and you're worried about _me_?"

"Doesn't really make much sense, does it?"

"No. It doesn't."

"I don't know. I just thought... I thought you could use a friend. It doesn't look like your family is helping."

John felt a migraine threatening, different from his usual Rodney-induced ones. The sun was too bright, mocking him. He rubbed his eyes. "Does Bates know you're here?"

"No."

"Great. Come on, we should get you back."

"Why are you so concerned about me?"

"Other than the fact you're technically under house arrest and are going to cost me my job?" he snapped. "Not to mention this wasn't exactly how I wanted to spend my week."

"This is your father's funeral, Colonel Sheppard. You should be taking some time to say goodbye."

"I said goodbye to him a long time ago," he said without thinking. "Look. I'm not having this conversation with you."

"Why not? It's not as though you know me."

"Whereas you've been hacking into government files and crashing family affairs to stalk me."

"I came to you looking for help, Colonel Sheppard, and you offered it. In one way or another," she added with a grim smile. "I just thought this was something I could do in return."

Then her hand was on his arm. He'd've accepted the gesture from Teyla or Carter, maybe, but this girl he didn't know and couldn't even begin to know. He suddenly felt old. "I appreciate it, but it's unnecessary. Look, I'm causing enough trouble already. We should go." He glanced back at the assembled and wasn't surprised to find Ronon making his way towards them.

"Everything okay?"

"We're leaving."

"You sure?"

John glanced at Dixon. There was work they had to do, and it was too late to maintain any pretense of being a good son. "Yeah. Let's get back to work."


End file.
